Sharing Different Heartbeats
by Chimerically
Summary: A continuation of sorts for The Dark Knight Rises. Because in Bruce's world things are never wrapped in a neat bow and happy endings aren't what they seem. Spoilers for TDKR. Bruce/Selina, with plenty of Blake and Gordon and the Gotham crazies.


Sharing Different Heartbeats

Prologue

* * *

One last job.

This is what she tells herself as she slips quietly into the abandoned Wayne Manor. She crosses the threshold of the west wing like a shadow. No six inch heels for her tonight; this isn't a game for her, not this…never this.

She easily finds what she is looking for: the ten thousand dollar safe, uncrackable and unbreakable. She opens it in minutes.

And there they lay as beautiful as she remembered. She promised herself this was the last time; she needed this more than she cared to admit, just one memento to remember him by and then she would be gone in the night with no one the wiser. And truthfully she knew that she would love them more than anyone else ever would. (Anyone still living at least)

Gingerly she lifted the elegant string of pearls up and threaded them through her fingers. 'So beautiful,' she thought. From the moment she had seen them, so many months ago, she had been drawn to them despite all the trouble she'd known they'd bring. Much like their former owner.

"Shouldn't you be halfway across the world by now?" A chill ran through her spine at the sudden and oh so familiar voice. Speak of the devil and he shall appear.

Staring straight ahead, she rose from her crouched position, not yet turning. "Shouldn't you be dead?"

_His_ chuckle, not the Bat's, but _his_. "I guess we are both a bit of a disappointment then," he laughed. His footsteps echo as he moves closer to her until he is directly behind her, his heat burning into her back. She tries to remain stoic but her entire body hums with his presence.

Her walls crumble just a little but she still can't bring herself to turn around. "What happened? I thought-" her voice catches in an uncharacteristic display of grief. She swallows it quickly and forces herself to regain control. "I thought you died," she finishes with hardly a tremble.

His hand reaches out and brushes against hers, catching her fingertips gently with his. She sighs, she can't help it. "I had one last trick up my sleeve," he whispers.

She weakly smiles to herself. "Of course you do."

He turns her now, carefully like she might break (or maybe like he might). He stands before her bruised and weak; she could easily take him out and escape into the night, but the thought barely flickers through her mind as her brains screams, 'He's really alive, he's really here'. His lips twitch upwards in a sweet smile and the exhaustion in his face melts away for a moment. He takes her hands in his, gently tracing the line of the pearls in her hand. "They do look much lovelier on you than they do in my safe but I really wish you would try to stop stealing from me."

It feels like an admonishment and she bristles. "And if I didn't take them then who would have them? Alfred?" She scoffed. "What would he do with pearls?"

He laughs again and this time she can see the way his eyes crinkle in such a wonderful way. "Not much, I would imagine," he says with mirth. "But," he continues completely seriously, "You don't need to steal these from me," he pauses, looking hesitant as he continues. "I would have gladly given you the pearls if you had just asked." He curls his hands around hers and presses the beautiful jewels tightly into her fist.

Her eyes narrow in suspicion. "Why?" Why would you give the woman, the thief, the criminal who betrayed you and almost got you killed your mother's pearls?

He just grins at her, a thousand unspoken words dance on that grin and she watches each one flit across his face. His smile answers her when his words don't. "Have you ever been to Florence?" He asks her like it's the most obvious question in the world.

She doesn't press him for the words, she has never been the type of girl to rush things unnecessarily. And she is pretty sure they have all the time in the world now. "A few times. Is that an invitation Mr. Wayne?"

"Why yes; yes it is Ms. Kyle."

* * *

Author's Note: Years ago I wrote some Dark Knight fanfictions but they were absolutely terrible. But I hope my writing skills have improved over the past four years because I really missed writing for this fandom. Please review and let me know if you enjoyed the prologue!


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